Since New Year's, Dallas Thieves Have Stolen 60 Cars Left Idling to Warm Up

Dallas, we know you suck at coping with cold weather and that you would much prefer to step into a warm car on a winter morning. Trust us. We feel the same way. But leaving an unwatched car idling on a Dallas street is like wrapping a steak in bacon, throwing it to a pack of stray dogs, and hoping it doesn't get eaten.

Frankly, Dallas PD's auto theft team is sick of it. This afternoon, they passed along a friendly note reminding citizens that it's much harder for car thieves to take your ride if you don't leave the keys inside.

The numbers are a bit stupefying. In the month of January, which is all of 15.75 days old, thieves have made off with 60 cars that had been left to warm up. That's four people every day.

DPD's announcement is diplomatic, avoiding words like "stupid" and "idiot" and "forcrissakeswhyareyoumakingmyjobsoeffinghard!!!" But they are clearly not pleased, both by the fact that your ill-considered quest for warmth is bumping up crime stats and that by leaving your keys in the car, you are breaking the law. (See: Dallas City Code Section 28-5).

Nor is leaving the engine idling doing anything for your car's health. In the inimitable words of Click & Clack, "all you're doing with a long warm-up is wasting gas, increasing pollution, raising the temperature of the planet and making yourself 10 minutes late for your chiropractic appointment."